Q&A
Tell us about your new single/ album/ tour?
My new show, Lady Liberty, is about the desperate quest to transcend from Queen of Calamity (a title I’ve been carrying around for a good portion of my life) to Lady of Liberty; it’s a quest that often departs from what is proper, prudent and polite. I take liberties. I swear liberally. I also have a go at the Liberal Leader! Ultimately, it speaks to the universal quest many of us have for self-betterment, and the various ways through which we obtain it…purpose, peace, pleasure, just to name a few.
How would you describe your sound in food form and why?
[pullquote]Leaving the headset microphone on when I left the stage to go to the bathroom was a real career highlight.[/pullquote]I haven’t been there, but I imagine my sound and style would be a bit like dining at a Heston Blumenthal restaurant. Quirky, unconventional and theatrical. It’s not always smooth and silky…I’m generally more concerned with story than sound.
Which song resonates most strongly and why?
I do a slowed down version of ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitey Houston, and it’s close to the heart. In a show that’s otherwise filled with wordy parodies a quick whip’s, it’s a more sincere moment that reflects on the deep desire that many of us have for love.
Any on the road anecdotes?
More than I care to admit! Leaving the headset microphone on when I left the stage to go to the bathroom was a real career highlight. As was leaving my USA Visa to the last minute when I toured a show to NYC. I consequently had to delay my flight three times before finally getting my passport back. Lessons learned!
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Original artists who aren’t afraid to speak their mind, like Tim Minchin, Amanda Palmer and Eddie Perfect. And you can’t go past cabaret femme fatales such as Meow Meow, Ali McGregor and Lady Rizo…they’re sassy, sexy and smart but they’ve got a good set of lady-balls too.
What’s next for you?
I’m taking my original show, A Storm In A D Cup, over to The Edinburgh Fringe this year. It’s my UK debut, so I’m pretty excited! I will have spent a good portion of the year on the road by the time I return, so I dare say I’ll spend the last quarter of the year laying low, before touring Lady Liberty a little more extensively in 2016.
What’s your scene?
Quirky cabaret bars that serve a mean G&T and boast a stellar cocktail list..which is why you’ll always find me returning to The Butterfly Club! I also love the buzz of a Fringe or Cabaret Festival, or a smart Opening Night. Any excuse for a dress up, really!
About Lady Liberty
Having played to SOLD OUT houses throughout Australia and New York City with her hit show, A STORM IN A D – CUP, multi award winning cabaret darling, Amelia Ryan, returns with LADY LIBERTY! In a brand new hour of entertainment, Ryan takes us on her personal quest to transcend from Queen of Calamity to Lady of Liberty; a quest that often departs from what is proper, prudent and polite! Ryan got all of her trials and tribulations off of her chest (pardon the pun) in A Storm In A D Cup. Now, like many, she’s trapped in her own personal purgatory; somewhere between the life she longs to lead (content, calm and perhaps even classy) and the life she’s left behind (a daily dalliance with disaster). This Girl…ahem, Lady…wants Liberty.
Through her signature blend of scintillating stories, clever parodies, and pop musical mash ups, Amelia asks; how does one even become a Lady of Liberty? From Bombo NSW to Broadway NYC, from meditation to Moet, and from monogamy to menage a trois, we’re about to find out!
Colouring the music of artists such as Queen, ACDC, Pharrell Williams and the Beach Boys with her own witty lyricism, Amelia shares her stellar stories through razor sharp humour and heart warming honesty. She takes liberties, she swears liberally, and she may even have a dig at our Liberal Leader. But ultimately, she encourages us to let go, to let live, and be liberated.
WHERE: THE BUTTERFLY CLUB
WRITTEN/ PERFORMED BY: Amelia Ryan
WHEN: May 26th (Preview) – 31st 8pm/9m
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Matthew Carey
TICKETS: thebutterflyclub.com
DIRECTOR: Ben Pfeiffer
